Janine of the blog Happy Happy Nester understands that the holidays can be busy and stressful. Her family found that the best way to manage the season’s hustle and bustle is to slow down and enjoy a laugh with others. Their holiday tradition is all about friends and family: They delight in having close friends over for a special night of yummy treats, movies, games, puzzles and conversation. What Janine created as her special tradition can only really be described as the ultimate holiday lounge experience!
Our fun night with friends always includes a cocoa station with homemade hot chocolate and marshmallows.
Every year, I find new seasonal desserts as well as cute festive mugs to add to our cocoa bar. I especially love our adorable retro Santa Figural Mugs. Their vintage style brings back fond childhood memories; and the kids love them, too.
It’s our tradition to make hot cocoa from scratch –- we even make our own stove cooked fresh marshmallows. Every year, we try a new cocoa recipe and this year we have one that we all agree is delicious!
After cocoa, we play games and watch holiday movies in the family room, which we always decorate to the extreme. My kids make fun of me for pillow overkill -– but that doesn’t keep them from making their own pillowy nests.
On this wonderful evening, the kids and their friends decorate the Christmas tree with ornaments that fill the room with nostalgia –- some dating back to my own childhood, and others that we’ve added as a family over the years… each a reminder of holidays past. A couple of favorites are the adorable cable-knitted mitten ornaments I got from Pottery Barn last year that add a homemade charm to the tree.
Now that the holiday season is in full swing, I’m looking forward to all of our family traditions. So, from our family to yours, we wish you the happiest of holidays!
Be sure to follow Janine Waite from Happy Happy Nester on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for other delicious recipes and fabulous tips this holiday season!
Photography: Daidri Smythe
Final Image: Mark Yamamoto from My Photography
what a wonderful idea! Love the relaxation “nest” concept, enjoy your holidays and thank you for sharing this!